Scooby-Doo's Absence In Velma Is A Relief After Seeing This Season 2 Character (2024)

Summary

  • Velma's spinoff show takes a darkly comedic and mature approach to the Scooby-Doo franchise, showcasing a different side of the iconic characters.
  • The absence of Scooby-Doo in Velma is a deliberate choice to preserve the beloved character's reputation and iconic status.
  • Despite some controversial storylines and humor that hasn't resonated with all audiences, Velma's unique take on the classic characters has sparked discussions and kept viewers intrigued.

After seeing what Velma decided to do with one season 2 character, it's quite a relief that Scooby-Doo isn't present in the spinoff show. Velma is a Max original animated series that was written by and stars The Office alum, Mindy Kaling. The show tells the origin story of Velma and how she found herself joining the iconic Mystery Inc. Since its release in 2023, Velma has been met with quite a bit of controversy.

Velma has chosen to make some major changes to the original Scooby-Doo characters that just don't sit right with viewers. On top of that, the show has a sense of humor that hasn't really landed with audiences and some over-the-top storylines that don't feel true to the source material. Following the startling season 2 finale, it is unclear as to whether Velma will get a third season. If it does end up happening, however, the finale proved that Scooby-Doo should remain uninvolved with the series.

Velma's Version Of Scrappy-Doo Proves It's Good That Scooby-Doo Isn't Involved

The season 2 finale of Velma ultimately proves that it's a really good thing the show never brought the classic, big, brown Dane, Scooby-Doo, into the mix. Velma decided to position Scrappy-Doo as the villain of the show. In a childhood-ruining moment, Scrappy-Doo ended up murdering Velma. Velma then came back as a ghost and murdered Scrappy-Doo.

It's clear that Velma doesn't mind putting fan-favorite characters into really disturbing situations that change the way viewers see them. That's why it is for the best that Scooby-Doo has not been present in the show. He is too iconic and beloved of a character to potentially ruin. Given how dark in nature Velma is, there is no telling how the show would have chosen to utilize him, and it could have done irreparable damage to how audiences see him.

Why Scooby-Doo Isn't In The Velma Spinoff Show

Scooby-Doo's Absence In Velma Is A Relief After Seeing This Season 2 Character (1)

Though it may seem confusing that Scooby-Doo is not in the Velma spinoff show, it is actually for good reason. Charles Grandy, Velma's showrunner, has explained that what made the original Scooby-Doo content for children was the presence of Scooby-Doo. Warner Bros. Animation also said that the show could not use the dog in this adult spinoff, which ultimately coincided with the creative team's desire to make a more mature take.

According to Insider, Grandy has also shared that he wanted to be respectful of the importance and iconicness of these Scooby-Doo characters. He said, "We didn't want to just kind of take these beloved characters and put them in outrageous or gross situations and say, 'Isn't it crazy you did that to Velma?'" Given that Velma did end up putting characters like Scrappy-Doo into some pretty head-scratching situations, it's certainly for the best that Scooby-Doo isn't involved.

Velma

Animation

Adventure

Comedy

A darkly comedic and mature take on the Scooby-Doo franchise, Velma sees the titular character, played by Mindy Kaling, taking the spotlight in a retelling of her origins, leading to her joining Mystery Inc. A significant departure from the family-friendly rendition released decades ago, Velma will modernize the characters and has cast Sam Richardson as Shaggy, Constance Wu as Daphne, and Glenn Howerton as Fred. Scooby-Doo will not be featured in the show, as it features the earlier days of the crew as they solve murderous mysteries and find themselves getting in over their heads more often than not.

Cast
Mindy Kaling , Sam Richardson , Constance Wu , Ming-Na Wen , Gary Cole , Debby Ryan , Melissa Fumero , Glenn Howerton

Release Date
January 12, 2023

Seasons
2
  • Velma (2023)

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Scooby-Doo's Absence In Velma Is A Relief After Seeing This Season 2 Character (2024)

FAQs

Scooby-Doo's Absence In Velma Is A Relief After Seeing This Season 2 Character? ›

Velma's Version Of Scrappy-Doo Proves It's Good That Scooby-Doo Isn't Involved. The season 2 finale of Velma ultimately proves that it's a really good thing the show never brought the classic, big, brown Dane, Scooby-Doo, into the mix. Velma decided to position Scrappy-Doo as the villain of the show.

Why is there no Scooby in Velma? ›

mandated Scooby's absence, Grandy explained that Scooby made the original series feel like "a kids' show," with Velma embracing a more adult tone: "It felt like what made it a kids' show was Scooby-Doo. That coincided with Warner Bros. Animation saying, 'Hey, you can't use the dog.

Is Velma season 2 better than season 1? ›

This isn't your parents' Mystery, Inc. It doesn't feel like anyone's, really. Velma Season 2 had every shot at taking the fiery feedback from the first season and blossoming into a fun riff on the classic Scooby-Doo heroine. Instead, it seems to have doubled down on everything that made Season 1 so unpalatable.

Who is the serial killer in Velma season 2? ›

Victoria Jones (nee Meeting), is the main antagonist of the HBO Max animated series Velma.

Who is the villain in Velma season 2? ›

Velma season 2 makes Scrappy-Doo a major villain, exploring how his character became infamous. Scrappy's role evolved from a foil for Scooby to an annoying character, leading to his villainous turn. Various Scooby-Doo adaptations mock Scrappy's unpopularity, with Velma season 2 depicting him as a major antagonist.

Why is Scrappy in Velma but not Scooby? ›

Scrappy-Doo was brought into play by Hanna-Barbera Productions to boost ratings on ABC after Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!'s viewership dwindled.

Why did Velma get rid of Shaggy and Scooby? ›

While speaking to Variety, show creator Charlie Grandy explained that Scooby's absence was partly due to the creators being unable to figure out how to do an adult take on the character and also partly because Warner Bros. Animation told him that they could not use the iconic dog.

How old is Velma in Season 2? ›

In Ruby and Spears' original series bible, Fred and Shaggy are each 17 years old, Daphne is 16, and Velma is 15. For the purposes of this series, the kids were made roughly the same age: 16-17 in season 1, and 17-18 in season 2.

Who kissed Velma? ›

The iconic characters of Daphne and Velma, in fact, do share a kiss on-screen in HBO Max's new adult animated series, Velma, in which Mindy Kaling voices the title character.

Who was killing girls in Velma? ›

Velma figures out that Victoria Jones is the killer, trying to recreate Dr. Perdue's work to switch Fred's brain to a more competent person, so he could be a proper heir to the family company.

Who plays Scrappy in Velma season 2? ›

He is voiced by Jason Mantzoukas, who also voices Jay Bilzerian from Big Mouth and Steelbeak from the 2017 reboot of DuckTales.

Why is Daphne's hair red Velma? ›

Daphne's Orange Hair Because Her Mom Smoked A Lot

They also explained Daphne's unusual hair coloration, with Carroll confessing that she had smoked extensively while pregnant with Daphne.

Why is Norville not Shaggy? ›

While the character doesn't go by Norville in Scooby-Doo's earliest iterations simply because the name hadn't been decided yet, the Shaggy nickname has also just become synonymous with the character because it is a perfect fit, aptly describing his physical appearance and lazy personality.

Is Velma Black now Scooby-Doo? ›

Kaling's Velma is now Indian, while Wu's Daphne is portrayed as Asian, and Richardson's Norville is African American rather than being white. Fred is the only Scooby-Doo character to remain the same. Begin your day with a curated outlook of top news around the world and why it matters.

Is Velma Scooby-Doo LGBTQ? ›

Previous “Scooby-Doo” writers and producers have said that Velma was a lesbian, but said pushback by studios would not allow them to depict her as one on screen. The new movie, which was directed by Audie Harrison, leaves no doubt as to her sexuality.

Why is the Velma show not for kids? ›

Parents need to know that Velma is an animated update/spin-off of the beloved 1970s cartoon Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? But this one is intended for adults: There's much more mature material here than in the original. Violence is often played for laughs but may be more intense than parents…

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